Slider Takes Stanifer From Obscurity To Majors

HOUSTON - — The Marlins have continued their free-spending madness by bringing in David Cone to fill the roster spot of injured pitcher Al Leiter.

Just kidding.

But rookie reliever Rob Stanifer could pass for Cone's twin brother.

"I've heard that before," Stanifer said during spring training, where he impressed the Marlins' coaching staff by pitching 41/3 perfect innings in five appearances before being optioned to minor league camp.

The right-hander was 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA in 10 appearances for Triple-A Charlotte when he was recalled Friday by the Marlins, who placed Leiter on the 15-day disabled list with a bone bruise of the right knee and moved Rick Helling from the bullpen to the starting rotation.

Saturday night, Stanifer made his major league debut when he relieved starter Tony Saunders in the fourth inning against Houston at the Astrodome. After a shaky start, he settled down and allowed one run on two hits in two innings. And to think, one year ago, Stanifer was toiling at Class A Brevard County, his third season there. He wasn't even thinking about the major leagues.

"Last year," he said Saturday, "I thought I was done. I thought my career was over with. It's a damn miracle. I never even thought there was a chance of being in the big leagues at this time last year."

Stanifer gives much of the credit for his career turnaround to Bert Owens, his assistant coach at Easley (S.C.) High School. After the 1995 season, when Stanifer was 3-6 with an unimpressive 4.14 ERA with Brevard, Owens called and suggested that he concentrate on improving his seldom-used slider.

On the Easley High diamond, Stanifer and Owens worked out together in January 1996, adjusting Stanifer's grip on the pitch until they began to see results. Stanifer began to look like a new pitcher. He had a 0.92 ERA at Brevard last April and a 1.57 ERA in 18 appearances after a promotion to Double-A Portland.

Yes, it's been a dizzying year for Stanifer, who still is having a difficult time believing that his time has come, that he has arrived in the majors.

Friday afternoon, he was at the Charlotte ballpark when manager Carlos Tosca told him to hurry to the airport to be ready to catch a flight to Houston.

Stanifer sat by a pay phone for 40 minutes waiting to hear from Tosca, who was waiting to hear from the Marlins. When Tosca received word that the Marlins were placing Leiter on the DL, he called Stanifer, who caught a late flight and arrived at the Astrodome shortly after the Marlins' loss Friday night.

He knows he probably won't be with the club for more than two more weeks, but Stanifer is thrilled to be here now. And Owens is thrilled, as well.

Bonilla's woes

His first month as a Marlin was forgettable, and the second month hasn't begun any better for Bobby Bonilla. The third baseman was ejected in the second inning Saturday night for disputing a balk call against Saunders.

Bonilla, who has no home runs and eight RBI, was dropped from fourth to sixth in the batting order Saturday, the first game he's batted anywhere but cleanup for the Marlins. Gary Sheffield moved from third to fourth in the order.

"That's my lineup," said manager Jim Leyland, who declined to discuss the Bonilla move. "I'm not going to sit here and explain my lineup every day."

Bonilla hadn't seen the lineup 21/2 hours before the game, but didn't seem surprised or concerned when told he was batting sixth.

John Cangelosi started in left field and batted leadoff instead of second baseman Luis Castillo, who bruised a heel Firday night and was given the day off to rest it. Kurt Abbott played second base and batted third.